Human and Elf collide
by Sesshylovers
Summary: Two origins together, new choices, new answers. When Amia Cousland lost her family she wanted to kill everyone and everything, when Ekon Mahariel got tainted he hated the world and humans even more. When hate rises, darkspawn ravage the land, will these two survive? Or will their hate be their and all of Thedas downfall? Come and see. Fem!CouslandxM!Mahariel
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one: it all starts with betrayal

"It's so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone."

― John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent

When I, Amia Cousland, woke up three days ago the only thing I had to worry about was taking care of my daily duties. That day I woke up with a slight smile on my face, I was so excited because the new book I had wanted had come. I had hurried out of my huge comfortable bed and quickly pulled on a white dress that had golden patterns lacing the bottom and cuffs that stopped at my elbows. I remember how Skuyler, my mabari, was jumping about and pushed at the door as if telling me hurry up. I had laughed and as quickly as I could brushed my short curly brown hair and made off to start my day.

I had gotten my new book, _The Ferelden Mage, _and wanted to do no more then sit there all day and read for as long as the novel took. Sadly to my much disappointment I was called on by father. I had sighed but then smiled, tucked my book in the crook of my arm and left as fast as my usual gait let me.

I had talked with father, oh how I wished I could rewind time and talk to him once more, even if it was just to say that I loved him. I was told to hold the Keep and the rest of the day was normal for me. I got Skuyler out of trouble with Nan and found out there were rats in the larder, got my view of Ser Gilmore who I fancied a little bit. I talked with my mother, basically got called called unsuitable by my the nobles my mother was entertaining- it didn't strike me much for I was the 'dull' one with brown hair, brown eyes, freckles and 'anti-social'.

I walked through my day like I would any other day not knowing all the pain that would come once the night would kiss the earth, I lacked the knowledge of the traitorous snake that was walking in my home. I had talked briefly with my teacher, visited Fergus and told him what my father wanted me to and hugged him tightly, I even though I knew it was good that he was leaving still felt worried and a small selfish part of me wanted him to stay. I thank the Maker that I didn't get my wish.

That night hell reigned up upon my beloved home, fire engulfed the castle and nipped at the body ready to singe flesh with greedy kisses, that traitorous bastard order his troops to cut down my home, my _family_. I had picked up the sword that I hadsworn to never touch, to kill. I has watched my mother's back and slew down any foe that dared come upon us. We broke upon many, the dead were left by our feet while Skuyler scouted ahead for us.

As the fire became even closer and closer we found Ser Gilmore, our loyal guards looked to us with relief with renewed moral knowing that what they protected was still breathing. I remembered how Ser Gilmore looked at us with a grave and somber face that I had never wanted to see on his happy face. Then my mother was running once the words had left Ser Gilmore's throat and I only paused for a moment, I quickly hugged Ser Gilmore, the knight that was my best friend, and followed my mother as quickly as my long legs strained to do.

My held d my father while crying softly. A sob was clawing at my throat and my eyes stung from holding back the tears ready to readily fall down my own cheeks.

"_Eleanor dear there's no time for crying,_" hewinced in pain. "_you two need to use the servants passage and find Fergus for I fear my wounds are too grave._"

"_No! We will not leave you._" I had cried out in protest against his words but he only shook his head.

_"Pup you need to go, both of you._" He said breathing shallowly. Mother shook her head and held tighter to father and cleared her throat enough to speak without the tears obscuring her voice.

"_Do as your father says, go and find your brother_._"_

_"No I won't leave either of you!"_ I said again in protest.

_"Pup, live and make your mark on the world and survive Arl Howe's treachery. Go and warn your brother,_" the sounds of someone trying to brake down the door made him pause for a moment before quickly speaking again. "_We love you so much_, _you and your brother."_ Mother turned her head away and then quickly looked at me before I couldprotest any more.

"_Take these things, take good care of them, now leave!_" Shecommanded and pushed two items into my hands, one was a dark blue and green headband and the other our family sword. I clenched them tightly and took a long painful look at them with trembling lips while I got to my feet with Skuyler wining.

"_I will avenge our family! I will kill Arl Howe, I promise you!_" I told themand left them there. I just _left_ them, I should have protested more, I should have made them come with me! We could have found a way to steady father's wound, but no I just _left them behind_.

I ran through the servants passage with Skuyler beside me, I was almost out when two soldiers caught up to us. I had turned to see them some from a different passage, I had no time to dodge the arrow that flew towards me. I was lucky that it only cut my face from the start of my cheek to almost to my eyes. Skuyler pounced onto the one that let loose the arrow with a howl that chilled my enemies blood. I quickly and easily dispatched the other with skill that I hated.

The next two days were all blurs as I ran and hid, ran and hid. I barely slept a wink with this smoldering rage that made me want to rip open Arl Howe's heart from his chest, to beat him senseless, to make him pay. It was only now that I let myself rest, my armor- well not really mine, I changed my own with a soldiers so that when I encountered anyone they would be less likely to recognize me. My face was burning with pain and my shaky fingertips came back with blood. Skuyler wined softly and placed a plant at my feet, elfroot which I recognized from my studies in herb lore.

I quickly broke the plant apart to show the sticky insides of the stalk to the sunlight before I dipped my finger into it and placed it onto my face which immediately stung less and I hoped bled less. Skuyler then seconds after that let out a fearsome bark minutes before the sound of someone moving in the foliage. I jumped to my feet and small part of me was grateful for the headband because my bangs weren't trying to hide my view.

"Come out and show yourselves!" I commanded and I was surprised for I didn't recognize it, it sounded cold, merciless. I already had the pommel of my family sword grasped in my firm hands, my stance was steady and Skuyler took a offensive stance with bared teeth.

"Calm yourself, we are no foes." A tall darker skinned man said walking into my line of vision with raised hands. I took in how his stance was easy, relaxed. Another man, a elf with brownish blonde hair that had particular markings on his face followed the man and my eyes narrowed when his hand strayed to one of his weapons. The other man shook his head and the man dropped his hand from one of his two weapons.

"State your names and where your traveling." I said again in that not-my-quite voice.

"Like I said we are not your foes. This is Ekon, Mahariel," the man motioned to the elf that was currently glaring at me, I returned his glare full force but still concentrated on both of them. "and I am Duncan, a Grey Warden. We are traveling to Ostagar... And might I ask who you are?"

"...Who I am does not concern you." I said and changed my stance. A Grey Warden was one of legends even if my old teacher said they were nothing more then regular men.

"It does went you hold a weapon against us." He answered and slowly still keeping an eye on both of them sheathed my sword. Skuyler trotted quickly over to them and sniffed them a moment before coming back to me and barking softly at me. I raised an eyebrow at him and he jumped up and licked my uninjured side of my face. It was my turn to huff softly and I patted him.

"Okay boy, okay I'll listen to you." I told Skuyler who barked again happily and got off of me. Soon my eyes went back to the people still standing there so I straightened my back again and determined that maybe, just _maybe, _they weren't in league with Howe.

"Do you know if the Cousland's," my voice broke a little bit and I quickly cleared my throat and tried to keep my face blank. "forces have made it to Ostagar?" He shook his head soon after my words faded and gave me a confused look.

"No, why wouldn't they unless the darkspawn have gotten to them or any other problems." He answered.

"You... don't know? The-" I was quickly cut off when a war cry rose up. I felt myself pale and I narrowed my eyes and five soldiers that had the crest of Howe came from the foliage and attacked us. I quickly unsheathed my sword and ran that the nearest one who was armed with a mace.

The mace soon clashed against my sword and the vibrations of it went down my arms, I glared at the soldier while looking him straight in the eye. My foot quickly caught the man's kneecap which had him stagger back enough for me to find the weakest part of his armor and slide my sword through it and into his flesh, his scream laced the air as I kicked his dying body from my blade and moved onto the next un lucky foe.

When a third guard fell to my blade and Skuylers fearsome teeth I stopped. I watched as the elf easily took his duel curved blades from another guards back and flicked them to get the scarlet substance off of them. After that was done Duncan looked at me and raised an eyebrow, that alone signaled he wanted to know what was going on. I raised my chin a few notches before hesitantly my voice weaved through the air.

"Those were Howe's men..." I took a deep breath to steady my nerves but it didn't help as Duncan nodded. "And they just came back from obeying Arl Howe's order to destroy the Cousland's reign." my voice came out angrily, pure venom when uttered that bastards name. I blinked the moisture quickly from my eyes as that dagger of pure hurt and betrayal dug deeper into my chest and it made me realize even more that my family was not going to somehow find me, that they were truly gone except my brother. I closed my eyes when it came to mind of how I was going to tell him that his _wife _and _son_ were gone, that we- no I failed to save _any _of our family.

"That act of betrayal will soon be met with the King, I promise..." Slowly I opened my eyes even though they were still stinging. "Amia Cousland."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two: The pain of loss

Nightmares clench and clench and the pain and fear shall forever remain

P.O.V: Ekon

The _shemlen_ looked surprise when Duncan spoke her name and I gave it no thought to how he pieced it together, or that the name Cousland seemed important, nope I didn't give one flying halla dung who in the Thedas she was. I watched them through my lashes for a moment while trying to ignore the burning in my blood coursing through my body, I could feel that filthy taint work its way through me with each pump of my heart which decided to beat loudly in my ears. I shifted my weight and tuned out the woman when she parted her lips to speak. Stupid _shemlens_ taking so long, we should be to Ostagar by now!

After a few moments a decision came to be and Duncan handed the woman a cloth for her bleeding face. She stared at for a quick moment before taking a step back from the offered threads and I wanted to roll my eyes, this stupid wench was making us stop before we could even start to leave! A small part of my conscious spoke up in Ashalle's voice reminding me that woman were not wenches, that every form of life needed respect. With a quick shake of my head I grabbed the cloth and all but threw it into the brat's face and watched as her furious brown eyes locked with my green ones.

"Taking the cloth before you decide to bleed all over and make us stop, now move!" I all but growled and watched as her eyes narrowed while her marbari decided to growl at me. I turned quickly and wanted to grimace as my stomach fell to the floor making me feel unsteady and started walking towards the direction Duncan and I had started on. I was scowling as my feet skimmed the ground and the _shemlens_ walked behind me making enough noise to wake bears on the other side of Thedas, stupid humans with their lack of things.

I knew as Duncan soon took the point of the group that Tamlen would be laughing at me right now if he could, he would tell me that this is what I got for making all those cracks on humans and that I had to suffer their presence. Of course he couldn't he ... was dead. I exhaled quickly and knew that the human's dull ears didn't hear it. My mind replayed the panic of the six days prior, of how I hunted with Tamlen and listened as he bemoaned about how Merrill was always looking at me and not _him_. I had always told himthat he should just forget her and had to reassure him that I didn't have any feelings towards her; how could I? She was like a pesky pet that would follow you around and stumbled over her words when you would look at her with a blush marking her face. A dark void became more prominent in my being sucking and leaving me parched, dry, angry.

I blamed Merrill, it was all her fault that Tamlen decided to listen to those vacuous _shemlens_. He heard their tale of relics with thoughtful eyes that saw opportunity when their was only disaster ready to emerge onto our lives. It was because of Merrill that after we came back from a successful hunt leaving three dead _shems_ and a deer in our grasp that he left to find these damned things they spoke of hoping to gain her affection. It was her fault that he was dead, that I now had something raging in my blood forcing me to leave my clan, to leave the only thing I knew. If I could I would ring her neck right now if it could change anything, even if she was my clan sister.

Night soon swiped across the land embracing us with her dark wings and nocturnal animals awoke to the stars and the moon. I was currently settling close to the fire even though the summer rang hot against our flesh that would soon turn into fall, you could almost feel her wane bit by bit each day in her warmth, saddening really. I stared into the fire watching as the blues, oranges, reds and yellows played lighting everything thing up even though the moon and stars could give off enough light to clearly see by. My fingers were cradling a bowl full of stew but after three days of traveling with the older human knew that the taste of the food would would be most unpleasant to the tongue. I strained my ears for any threatening sounds signalling advancing danger and half me listened as the two others spoke and broke the air that was filled with cicadas and crickets.

"Have you contemplated becoming a Grey Warden? Your skill would greatly boost our Order and help us with the darkspawn. I believe your family would have approved and encourage you to become one." Duncan asked looking at the woman with a almost _sly_ look.

"Then you are a fool, you know not my parents thought nor wanted for me. I will **not** become a Grey Warden under any means at all." She said and I glanced up to watch her glare at the darker skinned human. I raised an eyebrow and my eyes turned back to the fire and enjoyed its warmth, that's one of the things that never change even if I'm away, the constants are what makes the world a better place to walk on and breath. I clearly thought wrong about how the subject was dismissed for Duncan started speaking again.

"Surely you wouldn't let your fellow beings fall just because you don't want to join the Order, surely you can't be that inconsiderate. Your parents didn't raise you up to be like so."

"I told you my answer and I will not tell you again." The woman hissed and I sighed, really did people have time to fight?

"You must become one. It has been destined the moment you picked up a sword, you know I'm right, you felt it." Duncan said calmly and I once again glanced up to see him skewer the human with his stare.

"No!" She protested and I decided that I had enough of this stew and her raised voice, a headache was pounding against my temples and I once again felt unsteady so I place the stew down for the marbari and started setting up my bedroll.

"Don't make me invoke the right of conscription." he stated as I plopped down upon the soft but sturdy fabric that was woven by Ashalle two years ago when I achieved my _Vallaslin_ and was able to officially go out on hunts. She had took only the best of the halla fur that was offered and other animal furs and wove them with care and stitched symbols into the cloth while singing softly to the air with a smile on her face and love in her eyes.

"You won't dare!" Rang out as I set my _mi'_ close to me and close my eyes to the world even though my mind replayed many images, good and bad but both broke my heart and made me want to fall to the ground and scream with mourning and anger, lost and hopelessness. My eyes opened to rather see the stars and canopy over head instead of the insides of my eyelids and wanted to tune out the answer that I dreaded for I didn't want that brat to become a Grey Warden with I.

"I invoke the right of conscription, and you cannot break it." Duncan's voice rang out and I sighed as those words repeated in my mind and took on a twist of three days prior. I had awoke from my painful and foggy coma to find Ashalle next to me with sunken eyes from lack of sleep. I had gotten up and talked with the Keeper and when I came back from the oppressing cave to find Tamlen truly gone was spoken those same words when I refused to leave my clan even if I was going to suffer death from the taint, I would have rather died in the arms of my clan then be taken away by a _shem_ left to slay darkspawn- which I also blame, the mere thought of one made my fingers twitch to hack away and pour all my anger and remorse into their dying bodies and cheer over their rotting corpse.

The night stayed hushed but for the animals and I was grateful as my eyes shut again and the Beyond took me, only to be tortured by the faces of Tamlen, the mirror and that cave. If only if only.

Shemlen: human

Shem: Shorter term for human

_Vallaslin: _Blood writing, tattoos, seen as the rite of passage into

Mi': Blade or blades

**A/N: Thanks Apollo Wings for the review and I hope that I achieve the goal of keeping up the quality :3**


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